Pope Francis, who is being treated in hospital for double pneumonia, slept well overnight and is resting, the Vatican said in a brief statement on Thursday. The Vatican gave a largely upbeat assessment of his health on Wednesday evening,

Concerns over Pope Francis' health have mounted in recent years as have questions about his succession. Here's what we know.

Time-honored rituals, drafted and refined over centuries, allow time for mourning and provide order at a dramatic moment of transition.